Wasted Tears Tested in Ouija Board Repeat

Bart Evans' mare prevails by a neck for her ninth consecutive win on turf.

Win machine Wasted Tears produced another victory on the Lone Star Park turf with a repeat win in the $200,000 Ouija Board Distaff Stakes (gr. IIIT) (VIDEO) May 31, though it wasn't as easy as her 3-10 odds suggested it would be.

Under right-handed urging from jockey Cliff Berry, the front-running Wasted Tears gamely held off 14-1 shot Fortunia by a neck for her ninth consecutive turf win and sixth straight victory overall. The 5-year-old Najran mare improved to five-for-five on the Lone Star lawn.

Wasted Tears broke third in the one-mile turf event and had to work to get and maintain the lead from second choice Bubbler, who clung to the leader through sharp quarter-mile fractions of :22.86, :46.33, and 1:09.25.

Bubbler came under pressure from jockey Eddie Martin to keep up with Wasted Tears rounding the final bend, but The Cat Who, Love to Tell, Slide On Bye and Fortunia, rallying five wide on the far outside, all moved into contention in upper stretch. At mid-stretch, Wasted Tears suddenly appeared vulnerable from Fortunia, closing strongly under Tony McNeil. But under strong encouragement from Berry, the classy mare covered the final furlong in :11.84 to hold off the late challenge.

“She didn’t break quite as fast as I thought she might, but she broke well, and she was very comfortable in getting to the early lead,” said Berry. “I knew we were going fast, but she was within herself and she was being very professional. She’s just a racehorse.”

The winning time was a superb 1:33.25 over firm going, slightly off the course record of 1:32.81 that Wasted Tears established in winning last year's Ouija Board.

Fortunia, in her graded stakes debut for trainer Cash Asmussen, finished a clear second by 1 1/2 lengths lengths over Bubbler, winner of the 7 1/2-furlong Irving Distaff over the course in her last start for trainer Bret Calhoun. The Cat Who finished fourth, followed by Love to Tell and Slide On Bye in the field of six fillies and mares.

Wasted Tears, who is out of the Greinton mare Wishes and Roses, improved her career record to 10-1-0 in 15 starts and boosted her earnings to $558,598 with the Ouija Board's winning share of $122,000. The dark bay or brown mare came into the race off victories in the Honey Fox (gr. IIIT) at Gulfstream Park in February and Keeneland's Jenny Wiley (gr. IIT) April 10.

Wasted Tears won last year's Ouija Board by one length over Superior Storm.

Carrying co-high weight of 123 pounds, Wasted Tears paid $2.60, $2.20, and $2.10. Fortunia, a daughter of Leroidesanimaux owned by Janeen Oliver, returned $6.20 and $3.20 and capped a $29 exacta. Bubbler, who also shouldered 123, was $2.20 to show.